Softball Splits in Battle of Nation’s Top Teams
April 3, 2008

PINEVILLE, La. – The top-ranked University of Texas at Tyler softball team split an American Southwest Conference doubleheader with No. 2 Louisiana College on Thursday night in Pineville, La. The Patriots took the first game, 4-3, in a 15-inning “instant classic.” In game two, the Wildcats snapped the Patriots’ 31-game win streak, shutting out UT Tyler, 2-0.

The first game remained scoreless for the first four and a half innings. In the bottom of the 5th inning, a single by Louisiana freshman Amber Thomas scored right fielder Jodi Montagnino and gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the next inning, UT Tyler answered when sophomore Amanda Busby (Elysian Fields, Texas) hit an RBI double that scored freshman Sara DeStefano (Franklin, Texas) to tie the game at one.

The game would remain tied through the regulation seven innings and stay tied though nine innings of play. At the top of the 10 inning, the International Tie-Breaker rule went into effect, placing a runner on second base at the start of each team’s subsequent at bat.

In the top of the 11th, senior Lindsay Peters (Shreveport, La.) scored the placed runner to give UT Tyler a 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the 11th, the Wildcats scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at two and send it to the 12th inning.

The Patriots would score no runs in the 12th, but use precision defense and great pitching from reliever Loren Parks (Brownsboro, Texas) to earn two outs with the bases loaded and send the game into an additional inning.

In the 13th, neither team scored as the game moved into 14th inning.

In the 14th, senior Kate Lightfield (Houston, Texas) scored the UT Tyler’s placed runner and gave the Patriots a 3-2 lead. However, in the bottom of the 14th, Louisiana senior Jessica Thompson scored the Wildcats’ placed runner and sent the game into inning No. 15.

In the 15th, Sara DeStefano hit a sacrifice fly that would score the placed runner and put the Patriots on top 4-3. In the bottom of 15th, Parks and the UT Tyler defense would retire the Wildcats in order, as the Patriots won their 31st straight game and 25th of the season.

Loren Parks would pick-up the win for UT Tyler, improving her record to 8-0 on the year.

With both the pitching and hitting fatigued from game one, the Patriots could not find an answer for ASC East Pre-Season Pitcher-of-the-year McCaslin Carson and managed just one hit during the game. While not much stronger offensively, Louisiana mustered just two runs, but it would prove to be enough as they won the game and ended the Patriots’ quest for a perfect season.

The Patriots are now 25-1 on the year and 9-1 in the ASC East, while the Wildcats are 24-2 and also 9-1 in the ASC East.

UT Tyler will now take six days off and return to UT Tyler Ballpark on April 9 for an ASC East doubleheader with Mississippi College. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.

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